I am wondering if chick # 3 is gone?? I cannot be 100% sure but it does not seem to be in the nest.

Celeste

05/24/05 06:48 am

I felt the same way Tiger.....but I haven't thus far seen the hen lift herself completely away from the bowl to be absolutely sure.

Tiger

05/24/05 06:52 am

Well I have seen Betty away from the nest and am still not 100% sure but I am very nearly so. #3 would have had to be lying underneath #1 and #2 and that would be a bit unlikely.

Pam

05/24/05 06:57 am

Oh no ! Betty just got up to move stuff in the nest and I could only see two chicks and the egg. Yesterday it seemed to be totally ignored by all and at one point Betty settled down with her foot on it. Could it have got suffocated in the soft nest bottom because of its weakness? I suppose if it was dead the parents would have disposed of it?

Celeste

05/24/05 06:58 am

I agree....for a brief moment I thought of chick 4 last year who was smothered beneath the older chicks. Perhaps that is what is happening now or happened. There was no evidence of chick 3.

Sheri B

05/24/05 06:58 am

I too seem to think that # 3 is gone. I have looked several times and I have only been able to see # 1 & # 2 and the unhatched egg.

Celeste

05/24/05 06:59 am

So glad England/Scotland is awake with this crazy American who gets up so early!

Shelley

05/24/05 07:46 am

There is a feeding going on right now and I, too, do not see #3 at all.

:-(

Tim P

05/24/05 07:48 am

7:46 feeding reveals there are 2 chicks.

Shelley

05/24/05 07:50 am

Well, sad as it is, if chick #3 didn't make it, there really is no hope for #4. The older 2 will be that much larger and more aggressive by the time it arrives. I really hope the egg does not hatch at all. And may these 2 grow healthy and stronger each day! They certainly seem to be on their way and off to a great start...

sigh...

Tiger

05/24/05 07:56 am

No it does not mean that there is no hope for chick #4. I think that there was something wrong with #3 right from the start. It never at any stage begged for food and seemed to have a neck problem.

That is exactly why it is good to have a fourth egg. We can still have three ospreys.

Tim P

05/24/05 07:58 am

Just what this season neeed. Some mystery added to the drama?
Where is # 3 ?

Wendy

05/24/05 08:22 am

If chick #3 has gone, at least there's comfort in the fact that it's suffering was minimal.

Cecilia

05/24/05 08:44 am

I, too, feel that there was something wrong with #3...his embryo may have been compromised in some way or maybe the air sac in his egg wasn't big enough to sustain him during the period that he needed it and there was some brain damage or maybe he got a talon punch into his stomach...it could be so many things. I have a remarkably clear picture this morning but Betty hasn't moved...she's into a serious preening session. It's grey and cool again so she's keeping the kids warm.

karen

05/24/05 09:22 am

Sad but short. Chick 3 did appear almost unable to lift it's head at all.

cathy

05/24/05 09:54 am

Could it be that a predator came and took it? It looked to me just like the others when it was coming out of its egg.

Cecilia

05/24/05 01:43 pm

I did get a Grab shot of #3 while 1 & 2 where over by Betty getting fed. He was very flat in the nest just above the egg. I never saw any movement but Dave thought he might have seen him pick up his head once. If he is alive I doubt if he has much cognitive ability at this point and he should die peacefully.

Kathy

05/24/05 02:29 pm

It is sad to have lost a chick so soon. But, I think in the long run it's better it happened now instead of seeing him suffer from the cruel treatment he would have gotten from his siblings.